Yarim Tepe (Iran)
# Yarim Tepe (Iran)

Yarim Tepe is a Neolithic settlement in the eastern Gorgan plain, Golestan Province. It is located near Gonbad-e Kavus. This ancient settlement played a big role in establishing the cultural chronology of the neolithic period in Central Asia.

## History of research

It was first explored by V. E. Crawford in 1963, when very little was still known about the neolithic age settlements in this area. There are many cultural similarities between Yarim and the nearby site of Tureng Tepe of the same age.

Just like at Tureng Tepe, in the earliest horizon, there occur Jeitun-like ceramics, that are found mostly in the Koppet Dag mountains area, but also at several other contemporary sites in the Gorgan plain, for example in the Hotu cave, and even further west near Behshahr.

In Period I at Yarim Tepe, the Jeitun ware was identified as “Yarim Neolithic”.

## Chronology

The early stage of Yarim I is generally dated c. 5200 BC. In Southern Turkmenistan, this is also known as ‘Pessejik period’. In Northeastern Iran, along with Yarim I, to this period also belong Hotu cave, and Tureng 'IA'. In North-central Iran, this period is known as ‘Transitional Chalcolithic’, and it is parallel to Sialk II stratum.

At Yarim Tepe there is a gap between the Djeitun-ware levels and the overlying gray-ware levels (Yarim II).

vteChronology of the Neolithic period :

Pre-Pottery Neolithic   Pottery Neolithic :

BC

Europe

Egypt

Syria Levant

Anatolia

Khabur

Sinjar Mountains Assyria

Middle Tigris

Low Mesopotamia

Iran (Khuzistan)

Iran

Indus/ India

China

11000

Early Pottery (18,000 BC)

10000

Pre-Pottery Neolithic A Gesher Mureybet (10,500 BC)

9000

Jericho Tell Abu Hureyra

8000

Pre-Pottery Neolithic B Jericho Tell Aswad

Göbekli Tepe Çayönü Aşıklı Höyük

Initial Neolithic (Pottery) Nanzhuangtou (8500–8000 BC)

7000

Egyptian Neolithic Nabta Playa (7500 BC)

Çatalhöyük (7500–5500) Hacilar (7000 BC)

Tell Sabi Abyad Bouqras

Jarmo

Ganj Dareh Chia Jani Ali Kosh

Mehrgarh I

6500

Neolithic Europe Franchthi Sesklo

Pre-Pottery Neolithic C ('Ain Ghazal)

Pottery Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad Bouqras

Pottery Neolithic Jarmo

Chogha Bonut

Teppe Zagheh

Pottery Neolithic Peiligang (7000–5000 BC)

6000

Pottery Neolithic Sesklo Dimini

Pottery Neolithic Yarmukian (Sha'ar HaGolan)

Pottery Neolithic Ubaid 0 (Tell el-'Oueili)

Pottery Neolithic Chogha Mish

Pottery Neolithic Sang-i Chakmak

Pottery Neolithic Lahuradewa Mehrgarh II Mehrgarh III

5600

Faiyum A

Amuq A

Halaf Halaf-Ubaid

Umm Dabaghiya

Samarra (6000–4800 BC)

Tepe Muhammad Djafar

Tepe Sialk

5200

Linear Pottery culture (5500–4500 BC)

Amuq B

Hacilar Mersin 24–22  

Hassuna

Ubaid 1 (Eridu 19–15) Ubaid 2 (Hadji Muhammed) (Eridu 14–12)

Susiana A

Yarim Tepe Hajji Firuz Tepe

4800

Pottery Neolithic Merimde

Amuq C

Hacilar Mersin 22–20

Hassuna Late Gawra 20

Tepe Sabz

Kul Tepe Jolfa

4500

Amuq D

Gian Hasan Mersin 19–17

Ubaid 3

Ubaid 3 (Gawra) 19–18

Ubaid 3

Khazineh Susiana B

3800

Badarian Naqada

Ubaid 4

Succeeded by: Historical Ancient Near East :

